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Consumer product recall

McDonald's recalls Hello Kitty® Birthday Lollipop Whistle

Starting date:
November 10, 2014
Posting date:
November 10, 2014
Type of communication:
Consumer Product Recall
Subcategory:
Toys
Source of recall:
Health Canada
Issue:
Aspiration Hazard, Choking Hazard
Audience:
General Public
Identification number:
RA-42159

Joint recall with Health Canada, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (US CPSC), McDonald's Corp. and McDonald's Restaurant of Canada Limited

Affected products

Hello Kitty® Birthday Lollipop Whistle

Product description

This recall involves the Hello Kitty® Birthday Lollipop Whistle that is distributed by McDonald's restaurants in Canada. The whistle forms part of only one of the eight toys in the Hello Kitty Happy Meal series and only the whistle is affected.

The Hello Kitty Birthday Lollipop toy is comprised of a Hello Kitty figurine holding a pink heart-shaped lollipop.  The figurine opens up to access a removable red whistle.  The whistle can be used to make sounds by inhaling or exhaling through the mouthpiece.  The whistle measures approximately 4.6 cm in height, 4.6 cm in width and 1 cm in depth.  The whistle dimensions at the blowing end are approximately 1.1 cm in width and 0.6 cm in depth. The horn end of the whistle measures 0.4 cm in diameter. A picture of Hello Kitty appears on both sides of the whistle. The text "©1976, 2014 SANRIO CO., LTD." appears above Hello Kitty's face on the whistle, and "Made for McDonald's China CCW Chine" appears below Hello Kitty’s face on the whistle.

Hazard identified

Components inside of the whistle can detach, posing choking and aspiration hazards to young children.

Health Canada has not received any reports of consumer incidents or injuries in Canada related to the use of this whistle.

McDonald's has received two incident reports, in the United States, of children who coughed out pieces of the whistle that they had sucked into their mouths.

For some tips to help consumers choose safe toys and to help them keep children safe when they play with toys, see Health Canada’s General Toy Safety Tips.

Number sold

Approximately 200,000 of the recalled whistles were distributed exclusively at McDonald's restaurants across Canada and approximately 2.3 million were distributed in the United States.

Time period sold

The recalled whistles were distributed as part of a promotion that ran in Canada from approximately October 31, 2014 through the first weeks of November 2014.

Place of origin

Manufactured in China.

Companies

Distributor

Martin Brower of Canada Co.

Toronto

Ontario

CANADA

Retailer

McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited

Toronto

CANADA
http://www.mcdonalds.ca
Tel: Tel: 1-888-424-4622

Images (select thumbnail to enlarge - opens in a new window)



What you should do

Consumers should immediately take the whistle away from children and return it to any McDonald’s restaurant for a free replacement toy and either a yogurt tube or a bag of apple slices.

Consumers may view the release by the US CPSC on the Commission's website.

Please note that the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act prohibits recalled products from being redistributed, sold or even given away in Canada.

Health Canada would like to remind Canadians to report any health or safety incidents related to the use of this product or any other consumer product or cosmetic by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.